Centering and holding device for metal-working machines



.June 19, 1928. 1,674,286

c. D. HELLYER CENTERING AND HOLDING DEVICE FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. C. D. HE LLYE R ATTORNEY June 19, 1928. f' 1,674,286

C. D. HELLYER CENTERING AND HOLDING DEVICE FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

6.0. HELL YER a B A A TTORNE June 19, 1928.v 1,674,286

c. D. HELLYER CENTERING AND HOLDING DEVICE FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 pag.4

' lINVENTOR. CD. HELL YE R A TTORNE Y.

Patentedl June 19, VV1928.

CLEMENT D. HLLYER, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. i

CENTER'INGYAND HOLDING ijnvion non METAL-Wonxine MACHINES.' i

Appncafmnid February 5, 1925. serial N. 6996.2

This invention relatesV toa centering and holding device for 'metal Working machines'. In the manufacture of oil grooved piston rings for gasoline engines, according to the common practice, the rings are placedin a cutting machine and the oil grooves Vare turned one at a time. l/V ith the bestequipment with which I am familiar, so muchl time' vis 'consumed in placing and centering the rings accurately andeutting the grooves that the number of finished rings produced by a Workman 'each day is relatively lov'v. In Working on the ringsv it'. is imperative that each ring be accurately centered since the slightest.V inaccuracy would result in a spoiled ring. the method and apparatus heretofore in use caused great delay in cutting the grooves.

`To increase the number of rings turned 2" out by each operator and at the saine time to insure accurate cutting of the oil grooves y is the purpose of my invention.

.The general object of the invention, therefore7 is to vprovidean improved machine for f centering, holding and operating on piston rings. Y Y

One of the specific objects of the invention to provide a machine in which a lpiston ring'can he placed and wherein 'the 'operator 3f: by a simple opera-tion VWill cause the ring to be accurately centered and gripped-by the machine. l y Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for centering piston rings wherein an improved gripping device for gripping the rings after they have been centered is employed. A A i An additional object of my invention. Vis to provide a machine which Will centeifofne or more piston rings accurately afterl vvvhich the machine. may be'o'perated to cause it to grip. and hold the rings inpos'iti-'on so that the entire outer periphery ofthe ring is ex posed for a cut by vthe operator. A Another object of the invention is to pro vide an improved gripping mechanism forV piston rings which Will hold the piston `rings firmly in position 'Withthe entire out-er peripheryY exposed for cutting. y

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for centering and holdingpiston rings wherein the rings are centered by linear movement of a sleeve and areheld by lateral pressure of'tt'vo mem` bers, while the rings are acted upon by a cutter.

Thecare 'requiredl has, With i A further/Object of the invention is, to

provide an ,improved method for centering, holding, and .cutting grooves vin piston rings.

Other'obj'ects of the invention will `be apparent from the folloiving description taken in connection v'vith the accompanying draw- Y ings whereinl Fig. lis a side elevation partly 1n section showing my. improved machine; Fig. V2 `1s an end vieW of the machine; Fig.

Sis central sectional vie'vv showing ythe opf erating 'parts of the machine; Fig. 4 is a vieiv similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts` in another position; Fig is a top plan view of a portion of the machine; Fig. 6 is'an elevation of thecenteringfsleeve; F 7 is a fragmentary elevation ofthe companion centering member and Fig. 8 isl a .sectional `Referring" to the drawing by .reference characters,l I haves'hovvn a bed f 'or themav chine 'at 10. This bed is provided at one end With a motor case 11' having a motor 12 therein.: In' the following description I Will describe the device as'direcftly operated froinan electric 'motor'but it will be under-f' stood that other driving means mayv `he vprovided vvithont"departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

The motor l2 has a gear 14 `mounted upoir This y gearv meshes with anotherl gear 15 shown Yas se'-v cured on a shaft 16. This shaft isprovided the arniatnre` y shaft thereof.

atone end with a bearing 17 and 'with an intermediate bearing 18 supported on. a plate 1-9. Adjacent the other en'd of the shaft; I

provide another bearing18 which is snp-k Ypartial in a 'plat-e 19- on the bed 10. The bearing 18 is preferably a 'combined radialand thrust bearing so that the tangential pressure as' well `as a portion of th'ejthrust Vmay be taken by this bearing;

Adjacent @as @mi @f the shaft is aaienlarged portion 2'() is provided.U Reinovably seciii'e'dnpon this enlarged portionQO I show an interchangeable clamping plate 21. This clamping plate is provided with a recess 22 ori-each side vvhichjefngages' a flange on the end of the portion '2O While-both faces of the-clamping plate are provided with rahl beted portions 23. v

opposite the Clampingpiat 2i, I previa@ a second clamping plate "25. Thiselamping' plate 25 like lthe other plate is removably securedv toy shaft 26 Which is mounted in bearings 27 in a shift-able block 28. Like the bearings 1 8y the bearings 27 are preferlUU t ably combined radial vand thrust bearings tol V-suit the rrequirements of the machine. The

clamping plates 21 and 25 have their operative Vt'acesof the saine diametei` and a difierent clamping plate vwould be used for operating on different sized rings.

show a second cam 48 cam member 36. The cain48 isfree to turn about the axis of the shaft 16 and is prof v The block 28 is provided with two wings Vwhich are apertured to receive rods 29.

These rods 29 are provided with springs 30.

Therodsvpass through supports 32A` and ena gage wings 33 on a secondv block 34. y

- The block v34k is secured to4 acam member 35 which has a cam tace 36 thereon. The cam member 35 isslidably mounted lontheV shaftV 16v and may move therealong when de.- sired. i Y i' The bearing 18 is shown as supported within a bushing 45 whichv engages the plate` The bushing 19 arranged upon a bedilO.` may 'bejheld in place byfnuts 46 as shown. Adjacent the face 47 of .the bushing 45v I which mates with the vided with an operating lever 49 as shown. The coacting cam faces are such that first a quiclrmovement of the parts -is provided by the cam portion 50, after `which aslow motion and holding position is secured by the ca in surfaces 51.

Y From the vforegoing vapparent that when the lever 49; is roclred y from'the position shown in Fig. 3 to `the posiisoV tion fshown .in Fig. 4,-that the rods 29 will move to the left inFig. 3v compressing the springs 30 and moving the blOclrQStOtheV left. This movement of the blockfQS moves the clamping plate 25 toward the clamping( plate.21,-th us bringing the piston ringsl into position where they will 'be held as shown'in-Fig. 4.

Y It may be here mentioned that although in' the embodiment of my invention shown I have illustrated `my ,device asjarranged to work on two rings simultaneously, it will be apparent, however, that I may operate upon= one ring or upontwo or more rings Lwithequal facility without departure from the features of my invention. Y t ,a

In order that thefrings R may be presented inf'proper position to be engaged by the clamping plate 25 I provide a centering sleeve shown atQ6O `in the accompanying drawings. :This centering sleeve 6() is arr-vV ranged upona slidingcollar 61 which is bushing 62 arranged u pen the e enlarged portien() of the'shaft 16. The

fitted aboutl a bushing is provided with a lange62 which may be secured tothe bushing 45 asushown in order to prevent lturning of the bushing. lIn

order to prevent rotation of the collar 61 vI provide a pin 65 uponthe collar 6.1.' This pin has movement in; ay slot 63 inthe busliing62. a To accommodate different sized rings the description it will bey centeringsleeve 60 may-be removed and another of different size placed in position and for this purpose I preferably thread theV l sleeve as at 66.y In order to prevent relative rotation between the collar 61 and the sleeve 60 I provide a key 67 which istitted within aligned grooves inthe sleeve 60 and collar 61.v

The front face of the centering sleeve 60 is beveled as at while the lower portion of lthel sleeve is provided with projecting spaced teethfl (shown in elevation in Fig. 8.) Upon these teeth I place the rings to be operated upon.` i

Arranged about coacting with thecenteringsleeve 60 -I show acentering member 7 3 which is supported within a bracket 74 arranged upon the frame 10. The internal diameter of the member 7 3 is substantiallyy `the 'saine Vasl the linternal diameter of the centering 'sleeve 60V and the ymember 73' like Ythe centering sleeve 60 isy removable and interchangeable to allow work to be doneondifterent sized rings.,

i The centering member 73i acts as a stop against which the centering sleeve60 presses the open ring. Y

The centering sleeve 6() vis mounted to move toward the centering member 73r and as it rmoves the beveled face 7 0 on the sleeve 60 forces the piston ring closed and also centers it so that the axis of the ring coincides with the axis of the sleeve 60 and-with'V the axis of the member 7 3. This allows the ringV to move within the sleeve A60 as shown inFig.-4. f /l 4' In order to provide movement for the centering sleeve 60 I providev a iange This cutting tool 'may be oiE any desired character and may besecuied in a sliding holding member 91.1which is. provided with a `threaded -portion 92,:shown as driven by a-v screw 94 by an operating'whcel '95. Y

In operating my device, the operator tirst places thedesired numberv of piston rings upon the projecting portions 71v of the sleeve the clamping plate'i25 and sal 61. The .operating-lever 35 is then moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 5. This action causes the centering sleeve 60 to move over the piston rings forcing them first against tbe companionr centering ineinber 73 after which the beveled surface 70 causes the rings to be closed, centered, andV to pass within the centering sleeve'60. n

Vhen this operation is complete and While the centering sleeve is inthe centeri ing position7V the arm 4 9 is roeled causing the cam surface 50 and '5l to qiiickly pull and Vthe clamping plate 25 is moved to the left in Fig. thereby forcing the centered piston rings R against the clamping plate 2l. Further movei'nent of the lever 40 'al-V lows the cam surfaces to engage tollo'ck the piston rings R in the position shoivn in Fig. 1l.' After this is done the operator rocks the lever S5 to move the centering sleeve fromengagement with the rings R so that the cutting tool 9U be peiatedfb'y means of the hand Wheel 95. After the oil grooves have been c'ut the tool 90 is 'reii'ioved by reversing the direction ofV the hand Wheel 95. `Having thus described my invention, I claim: 'f

l. Ina machine of the 'class described, a bed!` a shiftable-centering sleeve movable :on

said bed, said sleeve liavingan internalldi ameterequal to the Vouter Vdiameterl of the ring, means to move said sleeve to engage.

the'outer periphery of and to center a piston ring, a pair of clamping plates adapted to engage the faces of said piston ring to hold it in centered position, Vsaid clamping plates including mechanism for imparting a rotary movement to said 'piston rings, means to cut a groove in said ring, and means to release said ring.y

2. In a centering device, a support, a sleeve Vslidably4 mounted on saidV support, said sleeve lhaving a bevelled face to engage a piston ring, said sleeve having a fixed inside diameter substantially equal to thel outside diameter of the piston ring and means coacting with said sleevet force a piston ring ivithin said sleeve.

3. In a machine of the class described, a bed, a hollow shiftable 'centering member mounted on said bed, means to move said member to engage the Aouter periphery of and to center a piston ring, holding devices mounted 'on said bed, one of Vsaid devices being movable thereon, said devices 'being adapted to engage the faces of said piston ring to hold it in Acentered position,"said holding `devices including Vii'iechani's'ii'i4 for imparting a rotary movement tov said piston rings.

4.' In a device of the 'class described, a

supportingrshaft, `a pair of centeri'ng'meinf bers coaxial with said shaft, one 10f"saidv members Ybeing mounted rupon thesha'ft for movementj along the shaft tovvard the other centering member7 a pair of holding' menibers, one of said holding members being movable toward the otherholding member, each of said holding members and -each of said centering members being normally spaced apart, and means to operate said members. Y

'having a bevelled 'end thereon, a companion rotation of 5. IIn a centering device, a'siipporha hollo'w'sle'eve mounted on said support, said `sleeve to forcethepiston ring Within said I sleeve. A

6; In a piston 'ring cutting machine, meansl for centering 'a piston ring and 'means for holdinga piston ring,y said centering means iiicliidinga non-rotatable sleeve mounted for" linear movement on said machine said 'sleeve member adapted to coact with said sleeve to center a piston ring7 said holding 'means Vcomprising a pair of opposed clamping plat'esgsaid plates vbeing'associated with vsaid centering .means and being' adapted to'be brought to'ivard each other to engageafpisiv ton 'ring 'h'eld centered in said centering means.

v7. In a device'of the class described; a pair of vcentering members, one of said members being liXed and the other centering member being kmounted foi" n'iovei'nent totvard the iiXed centering member, `a ypair of holding members', one of' said.holdingfmeiiibers be"- ing fixed and the other holding member be'- ing movable toivard' the lined holding mein-V ber,V saidholding membersand said centering ii'ienibersbeing 'coarially arranged and normally `spaced apart', finjeans to move the movable' centering meinberin "one direction and means jto movev the ino'vable holding men'iber in an opposite direction. I 8. A'iii'etal weiking machine vcomp iisi'n'zgi a., base, means 'en said base `adapted to en# gage the outer periphery of and toy center piston ring7 .a clamping plate rotatably d l Ysleeve having "an inclined face onone end f the `rods 29 sothat the block 28 is actuated" mounted on Vsaidy base,v said clampingplate having means thereon for engaging a pistonhring, a block slidably mounted tipon said base, asecond block vheld in spacedy rela' Y tion to the irst block, av clamping plate 'sup-'- ported on'said second block,V means to hold said clamping plates in spaced relation, and means to move one of said clamping plates tovvard the 'other. c i 5 99A machine for centering .andv cutting piston yrings, said machine comprising a centering mechanismvand a holding mechanisn'i, said centering mechanism"including va. slidable centering member including a body part having a removable tubular piston ring en- 'a'ino member therein' means to force a;

,b b i 7 pistonV ring Within. said tubular member, said lholding mechanism comprising tvvo relatively movable clamping plates7 means to move said ring engagingmember'to bring a 'piston' ring against vone 'of said relatively movable clamping plates', each of said -rela-y tively movable clamping "plates being 'ref' movable, said clamping plates being adapted to engage the ring held against one ofthe clamping plates by the centering member and means to moveoneof. said clamping.v

plates.4

10. A metal v'vorki'ngmachine comprising a base, a hollow centering device, means to force a piston ring Within said hollow centering device, a shaft, a. clamping plate associated With said shaft, an auxiliary shaft mounted on said base, said auxiliary shaft having a clamping plate associated there With, means to move one of said clamping plates toward the other, means torotate one of said clampingplates, said first mentioned Vmeans' operating independent of the second mentioned means.V

11. A metal Working machine comprising a base, mea'nsmounted on said base to cen-r having a pair of rods secured thereto, a sec-l. m

ter a piston ring, a support, a clamping plate upon said support, said clamping plate hav-v ing a'portion thereon for engaging a. piston ring, a block slidablymounted upon said i base, said block having a pair 'ofi-ods secured thereto, a second block held on said rods in spaced relation to the first block, said second mentioned block having a bearn ingthereon and having an auxiliary shaft mounted in said bearing, said auxiliary sha-ftV having a clamping plate thereon, means on said rods to hold said clamping plates inl spaced relation, and means to move one of said clamping plates tovvardthe other.

l2. A metalworking machine comprising a base, a' shaft mounted on said base, a clamping plate removably 1, secured. on `said shaft, said clamping plate having means thereonfor engaging a piston ring, a block slidably mounted upon said shaft, said block ond block held onksaid rods in spacedrelation to the first block, an auxiliary sha-ft i 13. A metal Working machine comprising a base, aV shaft mounted on said'basea cen-l tering sleeve mounted to slide along said shaft, a coacting centering devicermounted on said base, means to actuate said centering` sleeve, a` clamping platey rotatably ,mounted on said base, said clamping plate having means thereon for engaging a piston ring, a

pair of spaced kblocks mounted 'upon lsaid basea second clamping platel on one of 'saidl blocks, and means-,to move'onefof said clampl l ing plates toward the other.

abase, a slidablymounted centeringxsleeve,

14. A metal Work`ng machine l comprising said sleeve comprising a tubular body, a coactiiig centering memberl adapted toV coact With said centering sleeve to center a ring, a

shaft, a clampiiigplate securedrupon said shaft, said clamping plate having thereon for engaging a piston ring, a block slidably mounted upon said shaft, said 'block i havinga pair of rods secured thereto, a sec'- ondblock held on said rods iii4 spacedrela# block havinga bearing thereon andliaving an'auxiliary shaft mounted in said bearing, j said auxiliary shaft having a clampingplate removably secured thereto, means on 'said rods to normally hold said clamping plates in spaced relation, and means to in oveA one of said clamping plates toward the other.

l5.' A metal Working machine comprisingA a base, a shaft mounted thereon, a slidably mounted collarabout said shaft, a centering.

a portion V'zu tion to thefirst block, said second mentioned i sleeve on'said collar,'said sleeve comprising a hollow body, a companion centering mem-k ber adapted to coact Withtheend of said centering sleeve to center a ring,r means to move said collar and'v said sleeve along .said shaft, a clamping plate secured upon said' shaft, said clamping plate having a'p'ortion thereon for `engaging a pistonriiig, va block slidably mounted'upoii shaft, said block having a pair vof rods secured thereto,'a sec'- ond block held on said rods in Vspaced relation to thev first bloclr,"said second mentioned block having a bearing thereon and having an auxiliaryshaft mounted in said bearing, said auxiliary shafthaving a clampingplate V,removably secured' thereto, means on saidL rods to normally hold said clamping plates' in spaced relation, and means to move one of said clamping plates' toward the other.

16. A metal W'orking'inachiiie comprising abas'e, a. shaft mounted on ,said base, meansy to rotate said 'shaft,a bushing mountedupon said shaft, said bushing being fixed against rotation, a collar slidably mountedfon'said bushing, a centering sleeve mounted on said collarsaid ,sleevel comprising aV hollow 'tu-y bular bodylhaving a bevelled outer end, a

bracletlmounted on said base, said bracket having a ceiite'ring'n'iember therein, said c'eii tering member being adapted to coactyvith the `bevelled end of saidceiiteriiig sleeve to center a ring,means to move said collar and said centering sleeve'along' saidA shaft, said means including a rod secured to said collar,

said rod, a clamping plate'securefd"upon one end of said`shaft,-s"ai`d` clamping plate hav-V ing a rabbeted portion thereon for engaging.

a piston ring, a block slidably mounted upon said shaft, said block having apair 'oflvrods secured thereto, a lsecond block Vsecured to said rod iii spaced relation to tlie'dfirstblock, i

said second mentioned block having: af bearing thereonfand having an auxiliary shaft' mounted in'said bearing, said auxiliary shaft having a clamping plate removably secured thereto, spring means on saidrods 'to normally hold said clamping plates in spaced relation, means to move one of saidV clampan operating ylever'l adapted to coact with ing plates toward the other, said means oomprising a. cam member fixed on one of said blocks and a second cam member rotatably mounted on said shaft, and means torook the second cam member to simultaneously move Jthe two blocks With the rods thereon to thereby move the clamping plates relative to each other to bring them into position toengage a piston ring.

17. In a centering and holding device, a support, a pair of clamping members, a shiftable centering sleeve on said support, means on said sleeve to engage a piston ring, said sleeve having an inclined face thereon, said sleeve having an inside `diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the ring, means tomove said sleeve over said clamping members, means whereby said movement centers said ring, means to move one of said clamping members toward the' other clamping member, and means to hold said members in grippingengagement With the ring.

- In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature. v f

CLEMENT D, HELLYER. 

